Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 9, 2025

After successfully opening a second location in Kernersville, NC, and planning for a third one, the fast-casual gourmet slider brand has started franchising and plans to grow strategically in the Southeast region. The franchise industry continues to evolve, and I believe a few key trends are shaping the future.

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Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 11, 2024

" That's what Jason Cortellesso, Partner & Creative Director at Sport & Leisure , told Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine when discussing the merch program at his latest estabilshment in East Greenwich, Rhode Island that is seeing people to line up before they open on drop days to get their hands on the items.

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Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 14, 2025

based diners who recently ordered from a QSR, fast-food or fast-casual chai also found that value is about more than just price. To delve more deeply into the results, Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine reached out to Hope Neiman, Tillster’s chief marketing officer. The survey of 1,500 U.S.-based

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Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 15, 2025

Pepper discussed his journey with Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine. Over time, I transitioned into the fast casual space, where I now lead Fast Fresh Brands, which includes Bee Healthy Cafe and Nature’s Table. I want our brands to be recognized as leaders in healthy, fast-casual dining.

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Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 9, 2025

To learn more about how restaurant operators can best set themselves up for the upcoming summer season, Modern Restaurant Management IMRM) magazine reached out Kevin Bryla, Chief Marketing Officer, SpotOn. Discover how handheld POS devices and QR code ordering are transforming outdoor spaces into efficient revenue engines.

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Modern Restaurant Management

FEBRUARY 19, 2025

based architecture and design firm / /3877, newly-available real estate offers prime locations and cheaper rent for fast casual restaurants such as taco shops and upscale burger joints. This has led to a growing appeal for unique dining experiences and fast-casual concepts. According to the hospitality experts at Washington D.C.-based

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Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 3, 2025

Restaurant industry challenges are pushing operators to be more creative and efficient with many opting for more multifunctional spaces – especially in a fast-casual setting. At Maria Empanada, a fast-casual Latin concept the team is working on right now, the to-go boxes are artfully displayed, blending function and branding seamlessly.

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Restaurant Business

JUNE 6, 2025

But it wasn’t quite so bad for fast-casual concepts , which outpaced other categories with 9% growth in 2024, according to Technomic. Fast-casual chicken chains, including Dave’s Hot Chicken, saw double-digit sales growth, while fast-casual pizza continued to falter. Segment leader Chipotle Mexican Grill rose to No.

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Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 18, 2024

Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine asked restaurant industry experts for their views on what trends and challenges owners and operators can expect to see in 2025. So much data is generated at every point within a restaurant, whether fast casual or fine dining. For the first part, click here and for the second part, click here.

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Modern Restaurant Management

SEPTEMBER 27, 2023

percent) than they do in casual restaurants (16.5 Tipping on fast casual is going strong : In spite of the “tipflation” backlash, diners haven’t stopped tipping in fast casual restaurants, though the median tip size is still hovering under 9 percent—well below the 17.32 percent at fast casual restaurants.

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Modern Restaurant Management

OCTOBER 24, 2022

. “Yelp data shows that food businesses and restaurants across the country have seen some of the highest increases in inflation mentions,” Pria Mudan, data science leader at Yelp, told Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine.

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Restaurant Business

JUNE 13, 2025

Private-equity firm Savory Fund made a major investment in casual-dining chain Hawkers Asian Street Food. Starbucks’ latest gambit to improve operations? Giving store managers ownership over testing early-stage ideas and sharing the results systemwide. Members help make our journalism possible.

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Restaurant Business

JUNE 11, 2025

News marketing delivery technology Joe Guszkowski is a senior editor with Restaurant Business covering technology and casual-dining chains. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here. Get today’s need-to-know restaurant industry intelligence.

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Restaurant Business

JUNE 11, 2025

A rendering of Perkins Griddle & Go fast-casual concept. Simultaneously, the company also created a fast-casual version of Perkins called Griddle & Go, another nod to younger, on-the-go customers. News food drink Joe Guszkowski is a senior editor with Restaurant Business covering technology and casual-dining chains.

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Modern Restaurant Management

AUGUST 6, 2024

The experience agency, who designed new restaurant prototypes for clients such as Burger King, Panda Express and Panera Bread, surveyed consumers to gain a better understanding of the current customer journey and what guests value most about the restaurant experience, particularly at casual dining and fast casual restaurants.

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Restaurant Business

JUNE 6, 2025

The eight-unit fast-casual concept Off The Hook Restaurants is beefing up its executive team as it plans growth in Louisiana. She also led a turnaround at Jamba as vice president of operations, and spent 14 years with Starbucks, rising to director of business operations. Blaze is now based in Atlanta. Have consumers moved on?

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Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 9, 2025

Joe Gale has more than 30 years of sales, operations and account management experience, including 20 years with Coca-Cola North America Foodservice where he worked closely with numerous QSR and fast casual brands. Joe Gale What are the key challenges for the franchising landscape?

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Restaurant Business

JUNE 12, 2025

News technology delivery finance Joe Guszkowski is a senior editor with Restaurant Business covering technology and casual-dining chains. Premium Emerging Brands Pepper Lunch carves a niche in the Panda Express-dominated world of Asian fast casual The Japan-born franchise brand has 540 units globally, but only nine in the U.S.

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Modern Restaurant Management

FEBRUARY 27, 2025

To learn more about the plans for the growing brand, Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine spoke with Araque and Gonzalez. I believe as far as ourniche in casual dining experiences we’re at the top of the food chain. Why you wanted to franchise. What makes it scalable? Where do you hope to see the brand in five years?

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Modern Restaurant Management

NOVEMBER 4, 2024

In a statement, the owner and operator of 39 domestic restaurants in the casual dining chain, says its expects to use the time and legal protections made available through the Chapter 11 restructuring process to allow the company to explore strategic alternatives in order to ensure the long-term viability of the brand. "The

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Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 22, 2022

Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine connected with Anne McBride, Vice President of Programs, James Beard Foundation, to gain additional insights into the findings. . Rising labor costs, the inability to find staff to hire, and rising non-food costs (utilities, containers, furniture, etc.)

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Restaurant Business

JUNE 5, 2025

News independents chefs Lisa Jennings is a veteran restaurant industry reporter and editor who covers the fast-casual sector, independent restaurants and emerging chain concepts. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

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Restaurant Business

JUNE 11, 2025

After fast-casual chain &Pizza heard from customers that its prices were too high , it lowered them late last month and simplified its menu structure to highlight affordable options. Wendy’s launched a 100 Days of Savings summerlong promotion, serving up a variety of deals through its app. It’s a unique spin on Southern comfort.

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Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 29, 2021

Instead of belaboring the issue, Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine went to the experts for some solutions. “We are seeing sign-on bonuses at fast food and fast casual locations, something never seen before in the industry. “Wages across the country are definitely up for the industry, in virtually every location.

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Modern Restaurant Management

FEBRUARY 13, 2025

This Valentine's Day edition of Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine's Research Roundup features dining and gifting trends including the importance of experience. However: 41 percent said they planned to dine at home instead of dining out. 28 percent said they planned to dine at a less expensive restaurant.

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Restaurant Business

JUNE 5, 2025

On Thursday, the casual-dining chain promoted Lyle Tick, its president and chief concept officer, to the top job. News casual_dining Joe Guszkowski is a senior editor with Restaurant Business covering technology and casual-dining chains. By Joe Guszkowski on Jun. Sign up here. Get today’s need-to-know restaurant industry intelligence.

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Goliath Consulting

SEPTEMBER 14, 2020

From an interview with Restaurant Business Magazine , Bruster’s Real Ice Cream reported selling 18 franchise agreements this year and now has 56 stores under construction or in development out of their 200 units (1). Up-and-coming restaurants like Fajita Pete recently announced it will triple locations from their new franchise deals (2).

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Modern Restaurant Management

MARCH 12, 2024

The Ori’Zaba team told Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine they watched people walk in and have a physical reaction to the three pricing tiers. To reduce menu confusion and minimize price sensitivity, Ori’Zaba’s Scratch Mexican Grill recently rolled-out a rengineered and easier-to-read menu.

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Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 2, 2024

Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine asked restaurant industry experts for their views on what trends and challenges owners and operators can expect to see in 2024. As the return to office continues, we anticipate employers will jump on the latest food trends when deciding what to serve to create “office FOMO.”

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Modern Restaurant Management

MARCH 3, 2025

For a deeper dive into brand messaging, strategy, and authenticity, creating unified guest experiences, and the orchestration of physical and experiential touchpoints, Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine reached out to The Plaid Penguin’s Founder and Sir Idea Man Joe Haubenhofer.

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Modern Restaurant Management

JULY 27, 2022

Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine asked restaurant industry insiders to give us their insights into how the industry has been doing so far this year and where they feel it's going. ” – Bob Patterson, Founder, Patterson & Company Certified Public Accountants. "Like

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Modern Restaurant Management

FEBRUARY 21, 2022

With increasing promotions in restaurant magazines, food blogs, and social media platforms, more people are expected to join this mega-trend. Plant-based eating was previously limited to some selected restaurants and casual cafes. Future Market Insights reports that overall Plant Based Burgers sales revenue will surpass US$ 2.7

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Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 5, 2019

Bon Appetit magazine just launched a virtual restaurant in Chicago in partnership with Grubhub and Lettuce Entertain You, the Chicago-based restaurateur. The menu consists of recipes curated from the magazine and its YouTube channel, such as spicy pork soup and rigatoni with cauliflower bolognese.

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Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 26, 2023

Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine asked Cristin O’Hara, Managing Director and Head of Restaurant Group at Bank of America, to elaborate on some of findings. In other encouraging news, franchise operators believe that, although most restaurants are not fully staffed, the labor situation has stabilized.

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Modern Restaurant Management

MARCH 8, 2023

If they take the risk of stepping outside their homes, diners look for more than casual, throw-away experiences. They want their desserts to gleam like magazine ads. All of this means that people are considering their choices more carefully and expecting more from their chosen venues. Once a guest arrives, the expectations continue.

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Goliath Consulting

OCTOBER 6, 2020

Prospects continue to be bright for fast food and fast-casual franchises: Papa John’s Pizza just announced their plan to open 1,000 new stores over the next five years (1), and Whataburger hinted an offer of offering new franchising units for the first time in 20 years (2). The Benefits of Owning a Franchise Restaurant Business.

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Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 30, 2025

This edition of Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine's Research Roundup features delivery data, tariff troubles, summer dining trends, and Beer Serves America. introduced "Perkins Griddle Go," a fast-casual concept for quick on-the-go meals, in 2024, with the first store opening in late October.

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